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Yahoooooo, it’s Dozie!
Welcome to today’s From the Editor
In today’s newsletter: If you’re new to Calgary or not sure how to make the best of our very short Calgarian summer, I’ve got a list for you. One that came out of a long conversation with a few people who've lived here a while.
Also in the news: Alberta issues 1,051 AAIP invitations; CFIB told the province temporary foreign workers were a lifeline months before Smith’s referendum.
Plus: The third of our four-part series with Immigrant Services of BC (ISSofBC) where we tell the stories of Vancouverites who were forced from their home countries by circumstances beyond their control has gone live.
See past issues here.
What do you do in Calgary during summer
Ask a Calgarian when summer starts and they’ll say the May long weekend, but that’s if the trifecta of snow, hail, and the never-stopping June rains behave themselves. Ask when it ends and they might frown, because if you’ve lived here long enough, you’ll know summer only lasts till the end of August. And by early September, we are back to chilly weather.
Which is why Calgarians try to cram a whole year of sunny outdoor living into July and August. If you’re new here or still trying to find your footing, how do you join in on the fun? Well, I’ve got a list for you. One that came out of a long conversation with a few people who've lived here a while. Most of it is free or close to free.
Free things that don’t feel free:
Your community association’s events
Park n’ Play
The splash parks, wading pools, and skate parks.
Things you can do outside in the sun
Calgary’s 1000 km of connected paved pathways
Nose Hill Park
Outdoor community pools
The festivals
Read the whole list of 12 ideas plus some recommendations on where to get more if it isn’t enough ⬇️
From our newsroom
Alberta issues 1,051 AAIP invitations. The Alberta Opportunity Stream accounted for 832 of the invitations, while Alberta still had more than 4,200 nomination spaces remaining in its 2026 federal allocation. — Full article here
CFIB told the province temporary foreign workers were a lifeline months before Smith’s referendum. A September 2025 business lobby report urged Alberta to protect temporary foreign worker access, citing widespread labour shortages. Five months later, Premier Smith announced a referendum that could restrict services for temporary residents. — Full article here
Ajlin Mehmedi on the immigrant talent Canada doesn’t use
In this episode, the third in our four-part series with Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC), I'm speaking with Ajlin Mehmedi, who fled the former Yugoslavia in her early twenties, arrived as a government-assisted refugee with an unfinished degree, and now manages settlement services in Vancouver, the same city that took her family in.
Ajlin's parents arrived Canada as experienced doctors. Her father was an OB-GYN with more than thirty years behind him, published work, and a project with Columbia University in New York. Her mother was a dermatovenerologist.
All of that didn't matter once they crossed the border into Canada as neither of them ever practiced medicine again.
Ajlin and I chat about:
What the country loses when it asks arriving professionals to start from ground zero
Starting out as an ISSofBC client and ending up managing the settlement program
The three years of disorientation after landing in Canada
Why she refuses to let being a refugee define who she is
Listen to the full episode here ⬇️
Good finds
Join Woveo for an afternoon of connection, collaboration, and celebration at the YYC Mixer Stampede Edition - a gathering of Black entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, corporate leaders, and ecosystem builders from across Alberta.
Whether you're building a company, investing in innovation, growing your career, or looking to expand your network, this event is designed to bring together the people shaping the future of Black excellence in business.
What to expect:
Curated networking with founders, investors, and professionals
Fireside chat on building and scaling Black-led businesses
Food and refreshments
Opportunities to connect with Alberta's innovation ecosystem
Community, collaboration, and new business opportunities
Event details:
📅 Saturday, July 11, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 The Edison
150 9 Ave SW, 3rd Floor
Calgary, AB
Hosted by Woveo, BBVA, Pitch Better and the Black Chamber of Calgary, in collaboration with RBCx.
Space is limited. Register today and join us as we celebrate Black excellence, strengthen our ecosystem, and build the future together.
Want to work with us? Check out The Newcomers Media Kit.
Want more immigrant interviews? Listen to The Newcomers Podcast.
Looking to find out what Canadian immigration program you’re eligible for? Check out our Who’s Eligible For series.
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